As pundits who missed the populist mood (I did, too) now try to explain it, I will look for answers in the opposite direction. This column will make the case that even a movement as emotive and unpredictable as Brexit owed much to a couple of personal relationships. The motives and actions of the principal players may be better explained by exploring the intricacies of their personal circles than by assuming that they “sensed the will of the people”. Had one or two friendships developed differently, Britain would not have voted for Brexit.
This personal argument leads on to an institutional one. The dysfunctional alliances that now shape British politics – intimately bound up with the estrangement of the people from their political elite – creates the need for a major realignment of party identities. With both main parties in disarray, the opportunities presented by changing course have never been greater.
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